Ralph Smith, 64, of Fitzgerald, Georgia, died Tuesday, December 3, 2019, at his residence.
Funeral services will be held 2 PM, Saturday, December 7, 2019, at Arbor Baptist Church in Fitzgerald with the Rev. Dr. Lloyd Stembridge and the Rev. B.J. Funk officiating. Interment will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery in Fitzgerald Georgia. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.
Mr. Smith was born August 4, 1955, in Fitzgerald, Georgia, to the late William “Bill” & Marcelle Hunter Smith. He lived in the community all of his life and graduated from Fitzgerald High School in 1973. He was Star Student and Valedictorian of his high school class and later attended Abraham Baldwin College. Mr. Smith was a machine operator for Delphi, a carpenter and also a meat cutter for Stone’s, Piggly Wiggly, and Leggett’s. He enjoyed cooking and a specialty of his was Brunswick stew. He loved to read and enjoyed visiting the library and the post office, where he never met a stranger. Mr. Smith coached softball and always felt at home at the ballpark. He also dearly loved his grandchildren. He was a member of Arbor Baptist Church and president the Charity Sunday School Class.
He is survived by his two daughters: Michelle Smith Collins & Andrew of Fitzgerald and Tia Smith Pridgen & Andy of Fitzgerald; grandchildren: Parker Kirkland, Rainey Kirkland, Kaylin Pridgen, Wyatt Pridgen, Cade Collins, and Casey Collins; siblings and their spouses: Juanita Gatch of Charleston, South Carolina, Jackie Walston of Aurora, Colorado, Ward Smith of St. Petersburg, Florida, Mabel (Perry) Stallings of Raleigh, North Carolina, Ben (Glenda) Smith of Statesboro, Kenneth (Marcia) Smith of Avondale Estates, Alice (Billy) Prescott of Fitzgerald, and Rhonda (Robert) Pridgen of Wray; sisters-in-law: Ginny Smith of Lexington, South Carolina, Ann (David) Bundrick of Fitzgerald and Ruth (Eric) White of Abbeville; a brother-in-law: Steve Reed of Macon; along with many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wives: Linda Mullis Smith and Gwen Young Smith; a brother, Matthew Smith; and a sister, Dorothy Reed.